How does a moment last forever?
by its a story of love
Summary: OQ Missing Year. OQ duet. The Evil Queen doesn't like the thief but there's a thin line between love and hate.


**The song is How does a moment last forever from the 2017 version Beauty and the Beast. Which is not a duet so I have made it more complicated than it needed to be.**

 **This is only my second/third? Time writing Missing Year and I am not sure about it but I hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think.**

 **Unbetad and I do not own OUAT or Beauty and the Beast.**

He had heard many tales of the great and terrible Evil Queen; if he was honest he found the title undeserved. Bold and Audacious, certainly. Stunning in every way. He was also not naïve enough to think that she was a saint, that she had committed some heinous acts, he also knew that sometimes the greatest consequence of our actions is living with the guilt, with remembering.

/

Here she was. Again. The Enchanted Forest. There was nothing enchanted about it. This place to her was hell.

The woods were the worst part of the damn Kingdom. They offered hope. Hope that you could escape, but instead the trees, paths morphed into a maze. The silence should offer solace, but instead it always made her anxious- made her feel like someone was watching. You could be a no-one, but yet you were always someone- even if it were a simple peasant woman. Regina had thought long ago that the forest could become her home; instead it had proved to her that she whilst she hated her life at the castle that was all she had known.

Now here she was trekking through the forest with the Uncharmings, being attacked by flying simians and being rescued by no other than Robin Hood. She appreciated the irony if nothing else.

/

If it hadn't been the Queen, if he hadn't seen the hurt behind the fire in her eyes, perhaps he would have laughed at his indignation. He had no doubt that the Queen was capable of doing things by her, that she didn't need a thief to recognise her. He also knew that it is impossible to be strong all of the time; sometimes we need a helping hand. He guessed that the Queen needed it more than she would ever admit, he found himself vowing to do all that he could to be the person that would help.

/

She should have known that Snow would see an unnecessary gesture as some grand declaration of love. The thief was not cute; no one that smelt like forest could ever be described as cute.

/

He had to give it to her, she was stubborn. Perhaps he should stop saving her arse and see what she said then. He knew that not all of it was said out disgust- a large part was defence, the sarcasm and barbs just markers of the wall she had built around her heart.

/

He had promised not to get in her way. She should have known he wouldn't keep quiet. Wouldn't just let her end this pain. She didn't dare look, using her magic to freeze him, for some reason she couldn't see the pity not from him.

It was a sleeping potion. It wasn't permanent. It would just dull the constant ache; the images of her son, of her little prince would be a dream, instead of a painful reminder of all she had lost. So why was it so hard to let go.

/

He never dreamed of getting in the way. He was here because he wanted to be, because for some reason he could not let her come back here alone. He knew it was not the witch that inhabited the castle that would be the problem, rather the old ghosts that haunted it.

He saw her pick the needle up and couldn't stand by.

"I can't let you do this" his voice sounding remarkably strong.

He went to move towards her, and was not surprised when he found he couldn't move, the Queen would not make it easy for him.

/

It shouldn't matter what he thought, she didn't know him, she didn't care about him, he was just a pain and a common criminal, so why did it matter that he didn't want her to do it.

/

"It's about your son, isn't it?"

She wanted to be angry. How had he known? Why had he brought it up- it was obvious that her son was not with her. Part of her was. Part of her wanted to crush his heart to dust. The other part was almost comforted- he had noticed her. Regina. Not the Evil Queen. It was the first time in this godforsaken castle when someone had understood her. It was terrifying.

"SILENCE THIEF" there was little malice in her voice but it was evident this was not a conversation she wanted to carry on.

"Milady whatever happened, whatever happens it is my duty to tell you that your son loves you, he loves your strength, your fierce determination, he loves that your soul is kind no matter how many people you have lost. Your son loves you. That doesn't just stop.

/

She released the thief without saying a word. There were no words that she could offer. It was a silent agreement, to fight another day and to never talk of this again.

/

It had been a month since the tower incident. They had not spoken of it, yet to the surprise of both of them it had not made things awkward. Instead they found themselves exchanging barbs and arguments about the smallest of things. To people looking on it may look like they had known each other for years, not a number of weeks.

/

Robin had found himself falling for the Queen; he knew he was a fool that nothing could ever happen. She would always be the Queen and he would always be the thief. He had found that if all he could have was her friendship, if he could see her smile then that would be enough.

/

As much as it pained her Regina no longer hated the thief. He still stank of forest, but it was not quite as offensive to her as it had once been. She found herself enjoying their banter, their conversations always managing to lift a weight from her. She was still hurting, more than words can describe, but she didn't feel worthless.

/

Today would be hard. Impossible. Today was Henry's birthday. She had hoped that maybe by some miracle she would have made it back. She should have never let herself hope, it only brought more pain.

/

He had noticed a change in her the past few days- she was more reserved, quiet. Her eyes would mist up every time Roland asked something. He heard the muffled cries from her room- he had vowed to give her space; she would talk to him or Snow if she needed to, but he no longer believed his own lie. Regina needed to know she wasn't alone- if she chose to share then he would listen and offer any advice he could.

/

She heard a knock on the door, quickly wiping her eyes with the back of the hands she debated what to do. If they came then they would see she had been crying and she wasn't sure if she could talk to someone, not today. She couldn't turn them away either.

"Come in" she whispered

Robin's apologetic smile greeted her, she found her own smile return briefly- he truly cared for her.

"Sorry for disturbing you milady. I heard you crying and I I uh just wanted to make sure you were alright. I can leave if you want"

Regina actually laughed at that "Robin I invited you in…If I really didn't want company I wouldn't have done that. Having said that I am not particularly good company at the moment"

"Milady anytime spent with you is a pleasure"

"Flattery will get you nowhere thief" Regina sassed

It comforted both of them that even when emotions were high that they could still fall into an easy conversation, but they both knew that it could only last so long.

Hanging her head slightly Regina murmured "It's his birthday today"

Robin gently placed his hand on her cheek, tucking her hair behind her ear, before lifting her head slightly. He didn't want to force her to look at him, but he also thought it imperative that being upset over her son was never a weakness.

"You have never told me about him you know."

Regina was shocked at that, she knew she hadn't spoke of Henry much- it was too painful, but she had thought she had told Robin about him before.

"Henry. Henry is. I don't even know where to start" she chuckled "Henry is intelligent, his imagination is like no ones I have ever met before. He sees the good in everything and believes in everyone. He loves like no other, without hesitation. He filled a whole in my heart I thought impossible to fill. He was my reason to keep going for so long. He never doubted me, even when things were complicated between us. He was my happy beginning in a life full of endings."

"He sounds like a remarkable young man"

"He is" she said, now beaming.

"He doesn't know who I am. He is living in New York with fake memories and probably stuffing his face. To me I am nothing but a story he has long since grown out of. I think that's what hurts the most I can remember every birthday and he remembers nothing.

I remember his first birthday, I was exhausted and elated- it was a difficult year- figuring everything out. It was worth it though to see him smile- it was so bright. He had reached for her, waving and making an adorable gurgling noise. She had kissed his head and wished for many more happy years together.

He had his first 'proper' birthday party at 5. He wanted party bags and cake and a bouncy castle and all of his friends in his class. I never knew how stressful planning a kids birthday party could be- I could not deny him (that never changed) and the stress was worth it to see the elation on his face. It was his bestest birthday party…until the knights and pirates theme the following year.

He was eight when I bought him his first comic- Peggy carter. He said she reminded of me. I laughed- if only I was like Peggy Carter, but flattered and proud. My son never doubted that a woman could be a hero and that will always make me happy.

Last year was interesting; I had dreaded it, Emma. She paused to explain that Emma was Henry's birth mother and that was a story for another time…with whiskey. I feared that it would be different, that he wouldn't want to spend as much time with me. I had no reason to be scared, it was different, but not in a bad way. Things were complicated but everyone was there for Henry and he could lift the weight of the world and make it look easy. He beamed and manipulated everyone in the room and none of us could find in it us to care."

During the course of the story the gap between them had closed, Regina seeking comfort in the crook of Robin's neck. His hand gently stroking her hair, it reminded Regina of her papa. The other had found hers. Two simple gestures that meant everything words could never say.

He did not want to break the moment. So much had been said, yet there was so much left to say. Robin didn't know what tomorrow would bring so he decided to make the most of the now, a half remembered song coming to his lips. A song he had heard his mother sing as a child. He had never understood the meaning, the depth until today.

 _"How does a moment last forever?  
How can a story never die?  
It is love we must hold onto  
Never easy, but we try" _

It took a moment for Regina to process that Robin was singing, she was too caught up in everything else. He had a beautiful voice- it was soothing, rich but gentle. She recognised the song and it bought another lump to her throat- it was to be her wedding song with Daniel.

Looking up at Robin, willing herself for just once to feel. To just let go.

 _"Sometimes our happiness is captured  
Somehow, our time and place stand still  
Love lives on inside our hearts and always will"_

Her voice was beautiful; it had a depth to it, a rawness that captured the emotion within the song. He had momentarily stopped, partly due to shock, and partly because he would cherish every part of her that she was willing to share. He saw realisation and then embarrassment set in- oh she had clearly thought she had ruined it.

Offering a cheeky smile, he joined her their voices taking a moment to harmonise

 _Minutes turn to hours, days to years and gone  
But when all else has been forgotten  
Still our song lives on_

In that moment, they felt free. It did not matter what happened yesterday or what tomorrow would bring, for once in their lives they felt that they could just be. Fate destiny be damned.

Robin rose from the bed and offered Regina his hand. He knew that formal dances had been tainted for her, he would never be able to make up for all those that had hurt her, couldn't erase her memories, but she deserved some good ones.

Regina had given up trying to hold back the tears. Today had been so difficult. She had missed Henry so much, thought that happiness was something that was yet another stolen dream. She knew that happiness could be fleeting, that moments can only last so long. For so long she had believed that love was weakness. That love was a mirror that was doomed to shatter. That love was pain.

Her son, her friends, Robin had taught her that

 _Love is beauty, love is pure  
Love pays no mind to desolation  
It flows like a river through the soul  
_ _Protects, persists, and perseveres_ _  
and makes us whole_

They danced in her chambers, smiles never leaving their faces. They lost themselves in a dance they didn't want to end. Neither of them knew who leaned in, nor did they care. All they knew was that the moment their lips crushed nothing else mattered, the world was insignificant. It was slow, comforting in a way that words could never express. His thumb brushed her cheek, their breaths mingled, Regina couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her- He still smelt like forest, she pulled him closer, not willing to let go quite yet. Eventually her head moved to rest on his chest and she could feel the beating of his heart.

Exhaustion was gradually overtaking them, so they moved towards the bed, but unable to break the spell they whispered the last of the song as they sought solace among each other and their dreams.

 _Minutes turn to hours, days to years then gone  
But when all else has been forgotten  
Still our song lives on  
_ _That's how a moment lasts forever:_ _  
When our song lives on_

 **So I am not sure if I like this or not. I found the last bit very emotional to write but I don't like the first bit. Anyhoo I hope you enjoyed it.**

 **C x**


End file.
